The Punjab and Haryana High Court has ordered the police to investigate a bizarre case involving a couple who allegedly solemnized an interfaith marriage in an autorickshaw instead of a mosque. A probe has been ordered to investigate the raising concerns about potential religious conversion under the guise of such marriages.
Justice Sandeep Maudgil of the High Court issued these directives while hearing a petition filed by the couple, who claimed they faced threats from the girl’s family for marrying against their wishes. The girl reportedly converted to Islam to marry the boy, mentioning her family’s address from Fatehgarh Sahib, Punjab, in her petition.
According to court proceedings, the marriage was said to have taken place on July 6 at Nayagaon near Chandigarh following Muslim rites and rituals, supported by a marriage certificate presented to the court. The certificate, attested by a Qazi, stated the marriage was solemnized in the presence of a lawyer, two witnesses, and community members at a mosque, as per Sharia Sharif.
Upon reviewing photographs presented to the court, however, it became evident that the marriage did not occur at a mosque as claimed, and none of the specified witnesses or community members were present. In fact, the ceremonies depicted in the photographs appeared to have taken place inside an autorickshaw.
When questioned by the bench, the petitioners’ counsel acknowledged that the ceremonies were indeed conducted in an autorickshaw. Justice Maudgil remarked that such misleading actions by the petitioners not only cast doubt on their credibility but also constituted serious offenses, potentially including perjury and contempt of court.
Consequently, the High Court directed the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Fatehgarh Sahib, to thoroughly investigate the matter, focusing on whether there is any organized racket involved in religious conversions under the pretext of such fraudulent marriages. The court adjourned the case to July 23 for further proceedings and instructed the SSP to ensure the couple appears before the court on the next hearing date.